Current generation claim "Sudoku puzzles were harder back in our day"

Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, has come under fire today amidst further claims that the sudoku puzzle has been "dumbed down". The claims look certain to force a Government U-turn on plans to include them in future maths exams, to "prepare students for the inevitable years of unemployment ahead." Gove has really stubbed his toe this time, as new 3Rs slogan, "Reading, Riting and a Really Easy Suduko" is also set to be dropped.

Londoner Pete Johnson said, "It used to take me over half an hour to complete the Evening Standard sudoku. Now I pick up a paper on the train, and almost all the numbers are already filled in! The challenge is gone."

When asked for his opinion, young schoolboy Clifton Harris replied, "What's Sudoku? Is it like Grand Theft Auto?" After having it described to him as "filling in numbers with your lead", he said, "Yeah that's Grand Theft Auto, buh. Shoot those mother puzzlers."

Michael Gove refutes the claims admitting even the taster sudoku is beyond him. "I was never any good at spelling anyway, so the suduko was never my thing." After a quick re-brief he went for, "I really don't understand. It's a logic puzzle, but I'm not allowed to put 2 and 2 together?"

The smart phone generation has been blamed by some. Stephen Fry, 'filling in' for regular puzzle correspondent Nicholas Parsons, says "Most smart phones come with a sudoku app, many with an add-on that fills it in for you. People can complete them in literally seconds."

Latest studies show that although students indeed find it easier to complete sudoku type puzzles, they are becoming even more inventive in ways to avoid having to use the plural of sudoku, which is anything but black and white. The studies also conclude that most people wouldn't realise this as they never make it past the tedium of finishing the first one.